Can handle



July 3, A1951 H. H. HALLSTREAM CAN HANDLE Filed July 27, 1948 Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE CAN HANDLE Harold H. Hallstream, Waquoit, Mass.

Application July 27, 1948, Serial No. 40,843

2 Claims.

This invention relates to detachable handle means for pry-top cans and like receptacles, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which is self-adjusting to different sizes of cans.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an eicient and easily used device of the above indicated character which is composed of only three component parts, which are capable of being manufactured in adequate form at relatively low cost, and which when assembled together form a self-contained unit.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specic embodiment is set forth in detail.

In the drawing:

y Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away,

showing the device applied to a can.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a vertical central s-ection taken therethrough.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the upper section of the device.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the lower section.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 generally designates the improved can handle illustrated, composed of the upper section A, the lower section B, and the actuating spring C.

The upper section A comprises a generally inverted L-shaped metal form including the flat vertical part or plate 3, having parallel side edge portions 9, 9 having channel anges lll, Ill th-ereon extending on the forward side of the plate 8. Below the edge portions 9, 9 the side edges of the plate 8 have downwardly converging portions Il, Il, and the lower end of the plate 8 has on its forward side a transverse flange l2, provided centrally with an upstanding spring end anchoring boss I4. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the plate 3 is pressed or formed to provide a vertically extending hollow l5, extending downwardly from a point spaced from the upper end of the plate 8 to a point spaced upwardly from the lower ends of the channel flanges lll, ill. The side edge portions 9, 9 are provided above the flanges lll, l0 with finger notches i5 by means of which the device may be more conveniently held in the hand, especially in applying and removing the 2 device from a can, such as that generally designated I1.

The can Il illustrated has a depressed top I8 and a raised bottom I9, defining rim flanges 20 and 2l, respectively, and is the type of container with which the herein disclosed device is more generally useful.

For engaging over the top of the can l1 the upper handle section A has a horizontal part or forwardly projecting arm 22, on the upper end of the plate 8, which includes the plate-like portion 23, extending at right angles to the plate 8, and the upwardly and laterally outwardly curving side portions 24, 2l! which are slightly forwardly inclined, and provide a convex underside on the arm 22, as indicated at 26. The convexity 26 at the forward end of the arm 22 enables the arm 22 to cam itself into place over the rim flange 2B on the can top when the device is applied to the can I1.

A rearwardly declining rib 21, extending rear wardly on the underside of the foot 22 from the rearward terminal of the convexity 26 terminates in a transversely elongated rim flange engaging lug 28 spaced forwardly from the plate 8, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The lower handle section B consists of a generally L-shaped form comprising a horizontal part or right angular arm 2S in the form of a rectangular plate, having two side-by-side recesses 3l), 3|J- formed in its underside, and provided near its rearward end with an upstanding, transversely elongated can rim flange engaging lug 3|, substantially vertically aligned with the lug 28 on the upper arm 22.

The rear end of the arm 29 merges into the lower end of a vertically elongated part or plate 32 having parallel side edges 33, 33 which are slidably conned in the channel flanges l0 of the upper section A.' 'I'he plate 32 is forwardly deflected along its middle to provide the hollow 34, which opposes the hollow l5 in the upper section A to provide a substantially cylindrical vertically extending chamber for the actuating spring C. The upper end of the plate 32 has a rearwardly projecting portion 35 provided on its underside with a spring end anchoring boss 36, vertically aligned with the spring anchoring boss i4 on the upper section A. The plate 32 is provided intermediate its ends with a vertically elongated access opening 31, through which the spring C, which is of the helical expanding type, can be inserted and removed to assemble and disassemble the three components A, B and C.

To assemble the components of the device, the

yieldably urged toward each other, so that when the lower arm 29 is placed under a can Il and the convexity 26 of the upper foot 22 applied against the upper rim flange 20, with the ngers of the hand grasping the device at the notches I6, a forward push of the device will cause the lower arm lug 3I to engage behind the lower can rim flange 2l, and further cause the upper arm rib 21, to move forwardly on the upper can rim 20, and elevate the upper section A relative to the lower section B against the resistance of the spring C, until the lug 28 drops into place over the rim Yflange 20 onto the top I8 of the can, whereupon the device will be operatively connected to the can I'I to act as a handle therefor, I

the spring C acting to hold the lugs 28 and 3I in place. Y

To remove the handle 'I from the can I'I, sufficient upward pressure is exerted at the nger notches I 6, IB to raise the arm 22 above and rearwardly over the upper can rim'flange 20, whereupon the lower arm 29 may be withdrawn from the can.

What is claimed is: l

1. A detachable handle for a can whose top and bottom have rim flanges, said handle comprising an upper section having a lateral arm to engage oVer the can top, a lower section having a lateral arm to engage under the can bottom, connecting means slidably interconnecting said upper and lower sections for Vertical movement relative to each other, and expanding spring means compressed between portions of said upper and lower sections and normally urging said arms toward each other so as to press against the top and bottom of the can, the lateral arm on the lower section being right angular with respect thereto and substantially planar, and the lateral arm on the upper section being formed in its underside with a forwardly inclined portion to act as a cam for elevating said upper section relative to said lower section against the resistance of said spring means to facilitate placement of the upper arm on the can top.

2. A detachable handle for a can whose top and bottom have rim flanges, said handle comprising a lower section including a vertical part and a horizontal part projecting from the lower end of said vertical part to engage the bottom rim flange and bottom adjacent to the latter, an4

upper section superimposed upon said lower section and including a Vertical part and a horizontal part projecting from the upper end of said Vertical part to engage the top rim flange and top adjacent to the latter, the vertical parts being arranged in face-to-face relationship and mounted for sliding movement relative to each other, expanding spring means interposed between the facing vertical parts and connected to the adjacent ends of said parts for normally urging the horizontal parts toward each other, and means depending from the horizontal part of said upper section and engageable with the can top for elevating said upper section relative to said lower section against resistance of said spring means.

HAROLD H. HALLSTREAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,213,882 Kettell 1 Jan. 30, 1917 2,396,479 Votaw Mar. 12, 1946 

